IANSA Resources Public Health

IANSA Public Health Network: Members in action

The Public Health Approach to Preventing Gun Violence

Small arms and light weapons are a public health problem. They clearly fit the criteria for public health issues: they are a preventable cause of widespread death, injury and suffering.

The public health approach involves identifying the nature and extent of the problem, and then using this information to identify appropriate policy interventions. The emphasis is on prevention.

Gun violence prevention involves reducing people's exposure to the agent of injury - in this case, their exposure to guns. This means restricting and reducing access to guns, and reducing the lethality of guns (for example by banning the most destructive weapons, such as assault weapons).

Research in Canada and Australia has shown that when controls on gun ownership are increased, the rate of firearm death has gone down.

Websites with more information

Aiming for Prevention
International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War (IPPNW)

Global campaign for violence prevention
World Health Organisation

SAFER-Net

HELP Network

Selected resources

Small Arms and Global Health
WHO pamphlet 2001

Preventing Violence
WHO guidebook, 2004

The Economic Dimensions of Interpersonal Violence
WHO report, 2004

Mortality in the DRC
Report by the International Rescue Committee, 2004

Global Trade in Small Arms: Health Effects and Interventions
article by SAFER-NET, 2001